Energy Vets Taranaki Ltd
Energy Vets Taranaki: We're here to help your pet stay happy and healthy.
We are still seeing injured wild birds at this time but please give us a call before you bring them to the clinic. Once here, stay in your car and call us so that we can then triage it. Any sick wild birds please do not move them from their location and call MPI.
If you have your own birds that are sick or injured please call our clinic to make an appointment. Please stay in your car and call us to inform us of your arrival and we will have a vet come out to you to triage them.
HPAI H5N1 (H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza) has a low human health risk, however it can be spread to those working closely with sick birds. Dogs and cats can also contract the disease so it is a good idea to limit exposure to sick wild birds where possible.
Did you know that something as small and ordinary as a grass seed could turn into a serious health emergency for your dog? Every spring, veterinary clinics see a significant number of cases involving grass seeds, and the problems they cause are often far more serious than owners expect. At Energy Vets Taranaki Ltd in Inglewood, we want every dog owner to know what to look out for this season.
As grasses grow rapidly in the warmer spring weather, many species produce seeds with a sharp, barbed tip and a design that nature intended to be self-propelling. These seeds work their way into whatever they contact, moving forwards but not back out. This is effective for seed dispersal in nature, but deeply problematic when the thing being penetrated is your dog.
Grass seeds most commonly become lodged in a dog's ears, between their toes, in their eyes, under their eyelids, in the armpits, and in the groin area. Once embedded, a grass seed does not stop moving. It can migrate through tissue, tracking deep into the body and causing abscesses and infections that are very difficult to treat without surgical intervention.
Short-coated dogs are not immune to grass seed problems, but dogs with long, feathery coats, particularly around the ears, paws, and legs, are especially vulnerable. Spaniels, retrievers, and similar breeds tend to present with grass seed issues frequently throughout the spring and summer months.
Catching a grass seed problem early dramatically improves the outcome and reduces the complexity of treatment. The signs vary depending on where the seed has lodged.
A grass seed in the ear typically causes sudden, intense head shaking and scratching at the affected ear, often with the dog appearing distressed quite rapidly. In the paw, a grass seed will often cause a sudden onset of limping, followed by swelling and sometimes a small draining tract appearing between the toes. Eye involvement causes pawing at the face, squinting, and excessive tearing. Any of these signs appearing after time spent in grassy areas should be treated as urgent.
The key message is this: if you suspect a grass seed, do not wait to see if it resolves on its own. It will not. Early veterinary assessment and removal is always far less involved than managing a grass seed that has been present and migrating for days or weeks.
While you cannot completely eliminate the risk of grass seeds if your dog spends time outdoors, there are practical steps that significantly reduce it.
Keeping the fur trimmed around your dog's paws, ears, and legs through spring and summer removes much of the surface area where seeds can snag and attach. After every walk in grassy or bushy areas, take a few minutes to run your hands through your dog's coat, paying particular attention to the ears, between the toes, under the armpits, and around the groin. If you feel anything small and sharp, or notice fur matted in a small area, investigate further. Removing a seed from the surface of the coat is simple. Removing one that has already penetrated the skin is not.
Checking your dog's eyes and nostrils briefly after outdoor activity is also worthwhile, particularly during peak grass seed season through October and November.
Any sign of sudden distress, lameness, eye irritation, or unusual lumps developing after outdoor activity warrants a veterinary visit. Please do not feel you are overreacting by bringing your dog in promptly. Early intervention saves your pet significant discomfort and you significant cost.
The team at Energy Vets Taranaki Ltd in Inglewood is experienced in identifying and managing grass seed issues, and we would much rather see your dog early and give you the all-clear than see them later with a more complex problem to resolve.
If you have any concerns this spring, give us a call on 06 756 7228 or pop in and see us. We are here to keep your dog safe and well all season long.
Energy Vets Taranaki: We're here to help your pet stay happy and healthy.
